In Her Hands
by Wootmeister
Summary: A story focusing on Carolyn Lam as she takes her place at the SGC. Follows on from Introductions, but you dont need to have read introductions to understand. Heading for femslash. SG/sanctuary universe
1. Chapter 1

Story focusing on Carolyn Lam. As they did so little with her character in the show (granted they had a lot of other things to concentrate on) i thought I would give her a side story of her own. And as so little is known about her, she gets her very own OFC as well. This should follow the show pretty well, but does take place in my SG/Sanctuary universe. Tegan Magnus is mine. Everything else isnt. Feedback would be very much welcomed :)

* * *

Dr Carolyn Lam, CMO of stargate command, had a problem. A big problem. How many other senior medical officers had to sneak around trying to avoid their boss? And it didn't help that she had only worked at the base for a few days and all the corridors looked the same. The only reliable way she had found to orientate herself was turning up in the control room. Sergeant Harriman was being very good at not laughing at her frequent visits, at least to her face. She really wished she had had more time to learn the layout of the base. The fact that she hadn't been near the gym since it was pointed out to her on her welcome tour did not fill her with confidence about her ability to find it first time, and she needed to get there for a defence lesson. Turning up late would probably not go down well, so she had set off early to try and find it.

Most of her time over the past few days had been taken up either with what General O'Neill had called the 'welcome to the mountain procedure', which included a large amount of safety briefings (most of which boiled down to 'don't touch' and 'run fast') and memos to read, or with sorting out what was going on in her own department. Her staff all seemed pleasant and hard working so far but she hadn't been there long enough to know them properly as individuals, to work out their strengths and weaknesses. Added to that, it had been strongly suggested that she read through some of the medical notes to get an impression of the sorts of injuries and problems she may come up against. So far it had been a fascinating, if terrifying, read. Talk about feeling inadequate... there was no way she was prepared for this job, no way she could be. On top of which, most people on the base treated her with the wary caution that military personnel seemed to reserve for doctors. Only here it had rubbed off onto the scientists too. She found herself wondering at far too frequent intervals if she had done the right thing accepting this post. She wanted to get this settling in period over, to be able to get into her work, feel the pull of a problem that needed solving and the satisfaction of fixing something that was wrong. She smiled wryly to herself. She wanted more control of things. At least she recognised that fact. That had to be a good thing, right?

She sighed, firmly suppressing any more internal rambling along those lines. Heading via the canteen was going to be too risky at this time of day, her father might well be topping up on coffee, so she decided to head straight for the gym. Well, head for the gym down the least used corridors that she could find. The last thing she wanted right now was a talk from the general on how important it was that she could protect herself and that she has the basic weapons training and so on. She could understand the need for hand-to-hand combat training for all SGC personnel, she just wasn't sure that she liked what that said about her job. Fighting – even in self defence or in defence of her patients (which was how the major in charge of on-base training for non military staff had tried to sell it to her) just felt wrong. Maybe that was a doctor thing...

As she had arrived a bit early for her session (she was trying not to think of it as a test) Carolyn changed, then went out and lent back against the wall of the gym, half watching the other occupants, while trying to pull herself out of her dark mood. The pair closest to her soon drew her attention. A man instantly recognisable as Teal'c from SG-1 was sparring with a young woman with shoulder length chestnut hair tied up and a lithe, wiry figure. After a bit of thought her memory dredged up a name from the many she had tried to learn in the past few days. Tegan Magnus. Doctor of something biological. They were both armed with staffs, Teal'c moving as though his was part of himself, an unstoppable force. Magnus was definitely less comfortable with the staff Carolyn judged, even to her untrained eye. However she moved with a graceful fluidity, a slight frown of concentration on her face as she blocked the attacks the jaffa made. Every so often she would move a fraction too slow and Teal'c would repeat the attack sequence until she could stop it before moving on. Even though he appeared to be a good and patient trainer Carolyn couldn't help hoping that staff training counted as too advanced to be necessary for her. Some of those blows looked painful and she was absolutely sure that she couldn't handle herself as well as Magnus did.

As if feeling the CMO's gaze the woman turned and met her eyes. A smile flickered across Magnus's face before the jaffa's staff swiped against her thigh. With a grimace of pain she turned back to her training, resetting her stance and studiously ignoring Teal'c raised eyebrow. Carolyn winced in sympathy, then turned to the door as the sergeant who would be working with her today walked in.

"Dr Lam" he said with a nod.

"Sergeant Green" she straightened up off the wall and composed her face. The guy in front of her was built like a brick wall, and was looking over her with a frown. Unconsciously she drew herself up, but then he relaxed and smiled a little at her.

"Well, at least you keep yourself in reasonable condition" he said.

Unsure of how to take that Carolyn hesitated, but he was already walking away towards a free set of mats.

"Done any martial arts? Boxing? Kickboxing?"

She followed, shaking her head "Not really my sort of thing" she tried to keep her voice neutral.

He gave her a long, steady look. "You don't have to like it. You just have to be able to do it if the need arises. And you never know – it may come to be more your thing in time."

Suppressing a sigh she nodded. Really, he was right, so she stepped onto the mats willingly if not eagerly, and he gave her a small nod.

"Ok..." As he started explaining about strong centres and setting oneself correctly Carolyn glanced over his shoulder. Magnus and Teal'c had finished their sparring with a small bow to each other and were moving off. As she left Magnus glanced back at her, giving her a quick grin before heading over to replace her staff. Blinking, Carolyn refocused on the sergeant, doing her best to mimic his movements.

Hours later Carolyn stood up from her desk a bit stiffly. Her training session had actually gone better than she had feared, her general fitness and decent co-ordination pleasing Sergeant Green, who had clearly been expecting difficulties. However sitting down to paperwork all afternoon afterwards had probably been a mistake. Stretching with a soft groan she contemplated finishing her files now, but instead decided that it was as good a time as any for a coffee break. And if she took the long way around then it had less to do with avoiding her father than it did with working the kinks out of her muscles. Definitely.

Unfortunately the long way around had become much longer than planned. She was lost again, and this time had failed to find the control room as well. The floor she was on seemed to contain mostly labs for science staff. Although she was reluctant to disturb someone from their work, not to mention she wasn't really in the mood for small talk, she was also fed up of wandering concrete corridors fruitlessly. At this moment she wondered if she could ever become comfortable with working under a mountain. Firmly shaking off that thought she started glancing in the various rooms to see if she could find someone still working but not completely engrossed in study that she could disturb.

Poking her head into the corner lab she thought she had found the perfect victim. The woman working at the desk appeared to be making notes, looking up now and then at a large furry-leaved plant in front of her. Carolyn knocked gently on the door and as the woman turned she felt a slight shiver of recognition.

"Dr Magnus" she said, managing not to phrase the name as a question.

"Dr Lam" the woman replied, smiling widely. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes. Well, nearly. I'm lost" Carolyn stepped just inside the door, hands in her labcoat pockets. "I'm really getting tired of being lost" she added quietly.

"I know how you feel" Magnus replied, putting down her pen and running her hand through her hair. "Whereabouts are you trying to find?"

"Canteen. I need coffee."

The biologists eyebrows rose. "At this time of night? Good grief doctor" her tone was teasing and Carolyn couldn't help smiling. Her voice was pleasant, low with an interesting accent that sounded British but with subtle differences.

"Paperwork doesn't care what time of day it is" she replied in a dry tone. The other woman's blue eyes danced merrily although she kept a straight face.

"If you don't mind waiting for me to finish here I was going to get a drink myself in a minute" she waved a hand vaguely at the plant.

Carolyn considered for a moment. She hadn't been looking for company, just directions. On the other hand, she didn't want to be rude and Magnus seemed pleasant enough. "Sure."

"Ok. Sit" Magnus pointed to a soft chair in the corner of the lab.

Slightly bemused Carolyn sat, wondering how she had managed to get a chair that size in here down those corridors. She had to admit it was a good idea – definitely more comfortable than the standard options. Magnus resumed her note taking, so she relaxed a little and looked around the room, being careful not to disturb her. A bench ran along two of the walls, holding a fair number of plants that she didn't recognise. At one end a selection of photography equipment stood next to a large pile of files. More files were stacked on the floor alongside some boxes. It gave the distinct impression of a work in progress.

"Ok" Magnus stood suddenly "done."

Carolyn rose from the chair, managing not to wince as her muscle protested yet again. Maybe going home for a hot bath was a more sensible idea than spending her evening ploughing through medical notes that were inches thick. Magnus was watching her closely, but made no comment for which Carolyn was grateful.

"So are you planning on spending your evening here too?" she asked as they walked down the corridor.

The other woman pulled a face "Nah. I need to see some daylight. This place is driving me a tad bonkers."

Carolyn's lips quirked upwards at the taller woman's phrasing, and she felt a weight ease hearing that someone else struggled with the base as well.

"But" Magnus continued "I do need to pick up a cup of tea before I drive home."

"The canteen does tea?"

"Its awful. Terrible. An insult to the name 'tea'. However, beggars can't be choosers."

They turned another corner and entered the canteen.

"There we go" Magnus gestured to a line of flasks set out on a table, "your coffee awaits."

"Thank you" Carolyn said.

"No problem. Nice to meet you properly" and with a final smile she walked off over to the hot water machines against the far wall. Carolyn stared after her for a second, before remembering that she didn't actually want company and that she still had three files of Dr Jacksons medical notes to get through. With a small sigh she moved to the flasks containing coffee. Maybe she would go home for that bath after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Some snippets of Carolyn during The Fourth Horseman parts 1 and 2. I find writing in tandem to an episode really hard, so I dont know how well this works... Feedback welcome :)

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Carolyn had a feeling that it wasn't going to be her day when she woke up to a broken coffee machine. That really did not bode well. Growling under breath, and still half asleep she fumbled with the instant powder before giving in and making a cup of tea instead. Not that there was anything wrong with tea – it just didn't pack the punch required first thing in the morning.

Her morning consisted of routine exams of SG teams returning from off-world (although she wasn't sure when using the words "routine" and "off-world" in the same sentence had become normal). She was tidying up the paperwork from her last case when Colonel Barnes of SG-6 returned to the infirmary with unusual symptoms. Carolyn was now used to the attitude of the military towards doctors – if he had come back then something really must be wrong. She buried a stab of concern under a professional exterior and carried out every test she could think of, hoping for clues to something simple. Food poisoning would be ok, or maybe 'flu. However, she wasn't entirely surprised at the results. Prior plague. For a moment she just sat, overwhelmed. The enormity of the situation floored her. Prior plague. On Earth. This was a whole new level of screwed. With a sigh she contacted the general, asking him to come down to the isolation rooms. This was something he ought to see for himself. A chill suddenly ran through her – Fisher. He had left the base...

"We have to find Lieutenant Fisher" she looked seriously at her father, "and fast". She was impressed at how outwardly calm he had appeared when she told him about the plague, but suspected that the explosions would come later. For now, he was absorbing all that she could tell him, weighing the options and prioritising his next moves. He nodded, grasping the implications immediately.

"I'll get Mitchell on it".

From there the day went from bad to worse, people from General Hammond's speech that Fisher had been removed from showing symptoms, the red dots showing the plagues spread moving across the US. Despite his best efforts Mitchell was unable to trace every contact and the situation quickly got out of control. Not to mention the possibility that the virus was airborne. Containment no longer an option Carolyn moved all her attention to cure. Which didn't seem to be in her control either. Labs were filled with all the experts the SGC had to offer, which amounted to an impressive display of brainpower. Biologists, chemists, medics and even physicists were pooling their knowledge and skill sets. Carolyn hadn't seen anything like it before, but was getting the impression that this happened fairly regularly here. Nothing like threatening human existence on earth to get people working together. Although she was pretty sure most of these scientists would get together to debate a tree stump if nothing more exciting was happening. Magnus, talking to a group of microbiologists in one corner and gesturing with both hands, looked up and met her eye. She gave a brief smile and a nod, then turned back to her explanations. Carolyn couldn't help the flicker of a smile that crossed her face in response, before she left and made her way back to the infirmary.

...

When Colonel Carter came to her explaining that an ascended ancient named Orlin had descended and was now in her lab, Carolyn had to laugh to herself. Not that long ago she had been working in a normal hospital in a normal department and now? Well, now she was quite seriously considering whether an adolescent brain could retain forbidden knowledge from a higher plane of existence longer than an adult one. And managing to tease an airforce colonel. Under a mountain. Not your usual day at the office.

Adding Orlin to the team working on a cure was the first good thing to happen since... she couldn't remember when. After checking on progress in the lab she headed back to the infirmary to check on her patients. Dr Jackson was in the upper viewing room, a slight frown on his face. After removing her isolation suit Carolyn joined him, standing silently at the window.

"Where's Orlin?" he asked after a few minutes.

"In the lab. Apparently he has some ideas for a cure. Sam's with him"

"So Dr Lee's working on the anti-prior device alone?"

"I think so. Sam seemed like the best person to Orlin-sit, and I think the cure has to take priority."

Daniel turned to her with a small smile, "I'm not going to argue with that" he said, reassuringly. He cocked his head slightly to one side "When did you last eat?"

Carolyn shot him a 'you must be kidding' look.

"Seriously, if you go collapsing on us things are gonna look a whole lot worse. Go have some lunch. I'll go find out what Bill's up too."

Carolyn sighed, giving in to common sense. And her rumbling stomach. "Yes, _doctor_" she said, with sarcastic emphasis, leaving the room.

...

Tegan approached Dr Lam and Sam where they were frowning unhappily at a computer screen.

"Um... I have an idea."

They both looked up at her, Carolyn reserved, Sam interested.

"What is it?"

"Ok, the main problem we are having creating a cure is the speed at which the virus is mutating, right?"

The other two nodded, Carolyn folding her arms.

"So why don't we take that out of the equation? Find a way to inhibit the mutations, and use it as a pre-treatment or incorporate it into the cure somehow."

Sam blinked, considering it. "What do you think?" she asked Carolyn.

"As far as I can see for it to work we would need to treat everyone infected with the inhibitor before then designing the specifics of the cure" Carolyn paused, head on one side, thinking hard, "but if an inhibitor can be created then that shouldn't be a problem. I mean, it's not ideal but then what is?" She gave a sharp nod "go for it. See if it's possible. We are running out of options at this point." She moved on to another group.

"Nice thinking" Sam said with a smile.

"Let's see if we get anywhere first" Tegan replied. Sam gave her arm an encouraging squeeze as she moved off.

It had been almost an hour without anything going horribly wrong (so long as she didn't look at the screen charting the virus's progression across the country) so Carolyn wasn't entirely surprised when Sam hunted her down to her office, a worried expression on her face.

"It's Orlin. Something's not right"

"How 'not right'?"

"I think you should take a look. If you've got the time to spare."

Carolyn allowed a wry smile to cross her face "Sure, why not. Bring him in."

Sam gave her a grateful nod and hurried out. Carolyn scrubbed her face with her hands. If this was what she suspected, there was nothing she would be able to do except provide proof of the memory deterioration. Although it was possible that she was wrong. She just wished that for once she could be wrong and something would turn out better than she feared rather than worse with side helpings of weird. She rose and started setting up the scanners that she would need.

...

Muttering under her breath at her father's stubborn stupidity at insisting on visiting the sick SGC staff, Carolyn walked over to where Magnus and two microbiologists were working.

"Any luck?"

Tegan looked up at her, squinting from tired eyes. "This shouldn't be possible. This speed of mutation... it either requires a whole new RNA replication process that allows more errors and mutations through, or a far shorter reproduction time meaning that more mutations can occur in the same time-frame. We can find no evidence of the first, and while these viruses are reproducing very fast, it's not nearly fast enough to explain the changes we are seeing. I can't see how this can be a natural characteristic of this virus."

"So the priors must have affected it in some way"

Tegan nodded "And as we don't know how, we can't find a way to slow the mutations without guesswork. We can try guesswork, but it's going to be like finding a yellow needle in a hay barn. And the needle may not even exist – we don't know what the priors are capable of doing"

Carolyn rubbed her face "Ok. So slowing viral mutation is not a viable option. Our only real hope is Orlin's theory over the prior's blood."

Tegan shrugged helplessly "Sorry this didn't work" she said.

"Hardly your fault. Go and get some food, then we could use you all back working on the cure" she nodded at the microbiologists and left them to pack up their work stations.

...

Carolyn allowed herself a moment to sit, and rested her head in her hands. Her father had the virus. Really, it shouldn't be a surprise. He had been over-extending himself since this crisis had begun, and had insisted on visiting his infected people. It was just he seemed so indestructible, so... reliable. And now... who knew. She sighed tiredly. What she really wanted was for someone to say everything would be ok. That things would work out, and that she wasn't going to fail the entire population of earth. And her father. Smoothing her hair back into a new ponytail she rose. Time to talk to her mom.

"I don't know whats going on... and I know you would tell me if you could" her mothers voice was tinny over the phone, but still managed to make Carolyn feel like she was twelve, coming home after a bad day at school and ranting in the kitchen while her mom cooked dinner. "Talk to your father love" and she heard a sigh, "you are so much like him at times."

"Mom" she said in protest, feeling herself tense at the comparison.

Her mother chuckled "don't deny it Lynny, just go and do it. Love you."

"Love you too." After her mom hung up Carolyn sat staring at the phone for a minute, before rising and making her way to the isolation room. Her mom was right – if this was one of the last times she could talk to her dad, there were a few things she had to say.

...

Carolyn slumped in her chair, allowing herself to relax in the quiet of the near empty commissary. Despite her exhaustion she wasn't ready to go home and sleep yet, her mind still roiling with nervous tension. The rush of activity that had followed Gerak's help had just ended, the vaccine they had managed to develop was being distributed at this very moment. Seeing movement in the corner of her eye she looked up and saw Tegan coming in. The xenobiologist glanced over and grinned, then waved her hands at the hot drink carafes and raised one eyebrow questioningly. Carolyn gave a small smile in return, nodding her head.

A minute or so later the tall woman wove her way through the maze of tables carrying two mugs.

"I went for decaff. I think we all need some sleep tonight" she said "hope that's ok."

She wasn't asking, Carolyn noted with amusement. But then, she wasn't going to argue either, and accepted her mug with a grateful smile "Thank you. Normally I would say decaff was the drink of the devil, but I suppose I can let you off this once."

Magnus sat opposite her, eyes twinkling despite the tiredness evident on her face.

"As days go, I don't think the past few count as normal."

"I hope not" Carolyn said, half under her breath.

Tegan looked at her seriously. "We won though. In the end."

"This time"

"I'll drink to that" Tegan said, tipping her mug to Carolyn who had to smile back, bumping her own mug with Tegan's. "Cheers."


	3. Chapter 3

Tegan ran easily down the slope, feeling her muscles work harder as she climbed another rise. She loved running in the early morning, and her varied work schedule at the SGC meant that some mornings she could get a good distance in before work. Ever since moving to the area from Vancouver she had enjoyed exploring the local paths and trails, while turning over events from her new job in her mind. It gave her time to wrap her mind around some of the weirder things she had seen and been told I the past few weeks – although she had to say, growing up as part of the Sanctuary network had probably prepared her mind for accepting weird things better than some other people. This morning her mind wasn't on the newly formed SG-22 or their next trip off-world. No, it was stubbornly revolving around a certain brunette doctor. With a huff of frustration she turned up a steeper path, pushing herself faster.

...

General Landry frowned at the pile of paperwork on his desk. It never seemed to get any smaller. He was almost sure that Walter was sneaking in and adding items to the bottom of the pile, but he hadn't managed to catch him at it yet.

"Unscheduled off world activation" Landry groaned. That would teach him to wish for something other to do than paperwork. "Medical team to the gate room" The general bolted to his feet, moving faster than would appear possible with his stout frame. He reached the control room just in time to see Colonel Carter being loaded onto a cart, Dr Jackson was already being wheeled out with Dr Lam hurrying alongside him. Mitchell was crumpled on the ramp surrounded by more medical staff, and Teal'c, although standing, had a large gash on the side of his head. Landry muttered something under his breath that made Walter glance up at him, startled. Landry waved off the look.

"I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful meet-and-greet mission" he groused, "any idea what happened Chief?"

"No sir. We had an unscheduled activation, SG-1s IDC, and then they came through looking like that. Well, both Colonels were walking then, but Dr Jackson was unconscious."

"Typical. It would be SG-1. Carters barely been back 5 minutes..." the general headed back to his office, shaking his head "let me know when one of them is ready for a debrief."

Carolyn came out of surgery hours later, shaking with exhaustion. Daniel would be fine – after a decent period of rest. Dr Warner had sewn up Teal'c and patched up the two colonels in less time that she had needed to tie the archaeologist back together. Neither of them were badly hurt: concussions, cuts and bruises. Landry had managed to get most of the story of what happened out of Teal'c – neighbours of the village SG-1 had visited had taken a disliking to the idea that the stargate village got all the visitors and trade, while their village over the hill got nothing. So had gatecrashed the party. Daniel had got himself caught in the middle while trying to sort things out, and had had to be extracted by his teammates. Apparently this was a bit of a reoccurring theme... Carolyn wrinkled her nose at her stained scrubs. There was no way she could rest until she had showered, no matter how tired she was.

After a long, hot shower and a set of fresh clothes Carolyn headed back to the infirmary to check on her patients. Daniel was still out cold, but the monitors showed that he was stable. Teal'c was sitting in a chair between the sleeping Carter's bed and Mitchell's, looking relaxed. Carolyn took that to be a good sign. If something was wrong, Teal'c would let her know. Tucking her hair behind her ears she bent to check Daniel. As she finished and moved on to Mitchell, Tegan stuck her head around the door.

"Is it ok if I..." she waved her hand vaguely towards Sam. Carolyn wasn't sure if she was talking to her or Teal'c, but nodded anyway. Teal'c inclined his head in agreement. Tegan moved over to her cousin's bed, eyes flicking over her, taking in her condition. Carolyn continued her examinations, barely managing to suppress a yawn as she finished.

Having done all that she could for SG-1 Carolyn left, stumbling a little as she headed through the door. Her arm was immediately caught in a firm grasp, holding her steady.

"You ok?" Tegan asked, with a worried frown.

Carolyn hadn't heard the biologist follow her, and blinked in surprise. "Sure. Just a bit tired."

Tegan snorted in disbelief and kept hold of her arm. "Riiight" She drawled, "you cant drive like this. Come on."

"I'm fine."

Tegan, perhaps wisely, chose not to reply and continued leading her down the corridor.

When they reached her lab Tegan deposited Carolyn in the large chair in one corner, then headed back out without a word. Carolyn briefly considered getting up and finding a bed somewhere on base, but she was comfortable and warm and really didn't feel like getting up. She was still debating with herself when Tegan returned with a couple of mugs and an armful of food. She passed the CMO a large mug of tea, and a packet of sandwiches then sat back at her desk in front of a large monitor.

"I'm just going to..." she waved a sandwich at the screen "carry on here if you don't mind."

"You are the one who dragged me here. Literally." Carolyn's voice was dry, and just this side of complaining.

Tegan gave her a luminous grin, and Carolyn rolled her eyes. She had to admit the tea was tempting...

Tegan finished the last of her sandwich, chewing slowly as she flicked through the photos she had taken of a lizard like creature on PX3-434. She zoomed in on one picture, making quick notes on a pad next to her. Glancing over at Carolyn dozing in the chair she let out a small sigh. Dangerous ground. So much for trying to get her mind off the doctor, now she had her curled up asleep in her lab. But then she couldn't have just left the exhausted woman to bumble around the base, she would have worried about her all night. She popped the PX3-434 memory card out of her laptop and filed it away, moving on to her next set of pictures. May as well get some more work done while she was here.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is here! I dont own stargate, but SG-22 are mine. Apart from Dr William Lynn, he was borrowed from the Stargate Atlantis: Legacy book series. Reviews very much welcome :)

* * *

Carolyn barely flinched as the klaxons started, so used was she now to the wailing that accompanied incoming wormholes.

"Medical team to the gate room!" That phrase however was hotwired to some primitive part of her brain that had her up and halfway down the corridor before she was really aware of it. Quickly she ran the list of off-world teams through her mind. SG-4 and SG-9 had only just left, so it was unlikely to be them. SG-14 and SG-22 were out, but both were follow-up teams rather than the first contact or back-up teams that tended to suffer the most injuries... she rounded the corner to the control room just as the emergency medical team turned to the window, one carrying Tegan Magnus, unconscious.

"Crap" Carolyn muttered, making for the door. To her surprise the rest of SG-22 seemed ok. Dr Lynn looked shaken and all three of them had worried expressions, going from hidden concern from Major Cooper to near full-blown panic from Lynn, but none of them were injured.

"What happened?" Carolyn snapped out as she reached the gurney Tegan had been placed on, her fingers going to the pale biologists neck searching for a pulse. It was there, thready and irregular, but there.

"She was bitten or stung by something" the major rubbed his face, trying to give the doctor the information she needed, "I'm not sure what it was, but Evans thinks she saw an insect." By this point they were halfway up the corridor to the infirmary. Carolyn glanced at the captain, who nodded and sketched a rough size with her hands.

"About the size of a pigeon, flying, wings like a dragonfly. Big green body. One minute she was fine, next minute woozy, then out."

Carolyn nodded as they entered the infirmary. "Ok. Someone will call you when we know more." With that she shut all distractions out of her mind.

"BP low, heart rate up... she's heading for shock. I need fluids, epinephrine and prepare a ventilator..."

"Doctor?" One of the nurses held up one of the biologists arms, showing a rapidly spreading rash mottling the skin.

"Hydrocortisone and antihistamines IV now" Carolyn grabbed the epinephrine, uncapping it with one hand and her mouth while the other hand probed Tegan's arm for a site to inject. From then the procedure became a blur, fighting to stabilise the patient then to figure out the best way to treat the cause.

Hours later, Tegan off the ventilator but still attached to a host of monitors and drips, Carolyn allowed herself to relax a little. She wasn't ready to leave the bedside, but the reassuring beeps of the machines let her know everything was stable. She had always liked to spend time near a critical patient, keeping an eye on the situation. _Staying in control _she admitted to herself, _not entirely trusting someone else to do the job properly._ She slumped in a chair, unable to look away from the woman in the bed – usually so full of energy and enthusiasm, now unresponsive and unaware of her surrounding, helpless and fragile.

She thought back to her conversation with the biologist earlier that morning.

_They had met at the entrance to the mountain by chance, Tegan explaining SG-22s off-world trip planned for that day while protectively hugging a stack of camera lenses._

"_So your team is research..." Carolyn's voice had trailed off. She had more experience with the front-line teams, or those sent to extract the front-line teams, as those were the ones who tended to get shot at most. Follow-up, research based teams... well, she could clearly see how Tegan with her sample collecting and photographs of plant and animal life would fit in, and Dr Lynn the middle-aged archaeologist made sense. She was just having trouble with Captain Evans and Major Cooper._

"_Lynn digs things up and gets overexcited about pottery. Evans has a degree in engineering. Coops really just there to shoot things" Tegan said with a quick teasing grin, "and I'm a monster hunter" her voice sounded a bit strained, and Carolyn shot a quick look at her as they entered the second lift. Though the smile was still in place there was a strange expression in her eyes. Then Tegan turned and met her gaze, eyes clear and expression controlled, making her wonder if she had imagined it. "Have you got an exciting day planned?"_

The doctor snorted softly to herself. "I don't need this much excitement in my day thank you" she muttered, bending forward to straighten an IV line.

"Did you say something doc?" she jerked upright and twisted to see Mark Cooper stick his head around the door, looking at her questioningly. Crowding behind him were Dr Lynn and Captain Carley Evans. In true SG style the team had come to sit with their fallen member. Carolyn had often wondered why they didn't provide rooms with four beds in, the way the teams here behaved when one of them had to be kept in the infirmary. Giving in to the inevitable was far easier than fighting, so when Cooper asked if they could come in she nodded.

"Not for too long, I'll be back after I have some food." Might as well make the most of this opportunity to leave other people watching the monitors. Even if they didn't understand everything, they knew enough to shout if lights started flashing red.

She came back after wolfing down the rubbery macaroni cheese that the commissary offered. She really had been hungry... as she rounded the corner she saw that SG-22 had been joined by Sam Carter, perched on a stool.

"Seriously people, hospital not hotel." Lynn and Evans looked embarrassed, Cooper ignored her and Carter just grinned disarmingly. Carolyn huffed to herself. It would be easier if she didn't look so much like Tegan when she did that. Not that Carolyn was willing to examine the meaning of _that_ thought too closely.

"Ok, out. Hopefully tomorrow she will be awake and you can sit with her for a bit longer. Now she needs peace." She stood firm as SG-22 filed out. Sam made her way to the door then turned.

"She will be ok, right?" she met and held Carolyn's eyes. The doctor nodded slowly.

"I think so. I hope so."

Sam gave her a searching look, then smiled slightly and left. Carolyn settled back down to watch and wait.

...

"I'm itchy"

Carolyn rolled her eyes "Possibly because you are one giant rash?"

"No need to be rude" Tegan wiggled uncomfortably. "C'mon, patient in distress here" she raised her eyebrows hopefully, "Please? Something? Anything?"

Carolyn sighed. "You're maxed out on antihistamines. So you can have anti-pruritic cream, or I can sedate you. Again. And I'm not discounting both as an option if the patient doesn't get less distressing."

Tegan smiled, unrepentant, then made to scratch furiously at her arm. Carolyn caught her hand before she got there. "Cream or sedative?"

"Cream. Cruel and unsympathetic woman."

Carolyn paused on her way to the drug cabinet and shot a look at the bedridden scientist "I could always go and find some mittens. Nice, soft mittens to tape to you so you can't scratch at all."

Tegan muttered something darkly under her breath, and the doctor continued hunting for the cream, chuckling to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Carolyn forced herself to keep her hands still, briefly considering sitting on them to remove the temptation of fiddling with her pen. Three hours this meeting had been going on. Three tedious, repetitive hours. The briefing room was crowded, her father at the head of the table, going into probably unnecessary detail with the head of catering. Whose genius idea had it been to have quarterly meetings with all the heads of departments at once? She suppressed a yawn. Sure, the General needed to know what was going on in his base, but why did she need to know the monthly flour usage of the commissary? This was going to be a very long day...

Tegan finished the report she was writing with a grateful sigh. She thought it must be sometime late in the evening by now. Working in a place with no windows was really messing with her body clock. She had been spared a day of meetings, though it felt like she had escaped by the skin of her teeth. Xenobiology, despite its obvious significance, had been overlooked in favour of technological sciences and astrophysics. She could see why that may have been necessary in the early years, but in fact biology as a whole was pretty underdeveloped throughout the stargate program, being covered mainly by medical staff. This meant that no-one was quite sure whether she fell under the control of Dr Lam as CMO or was part of the scientist camp. At any rate, she hadn't been there long enough to have carved out a big enough place to warrant a seat at the Meeting of Heads. Judging by the almost comatose expressions on the faces of those taking part during lunch, she was very glad of this. She stood up from her desk and stretched, wincing at the crackles from her spine.

"Hunchback before 30, here I come" she muttered and glanced at her watch. Mid evening. That wasn't too bad. Well, it could be worse. Briefly she considered going home, but then had a better idea and quickly closed down her laptop.

A few minutes later Tegan stopped by the infirmary bearing two cups of coffee. After glancing inside to check it wasn't full of blood and gore and shouty doctors she entered and joined Carolyn at the far end where she was leaning against a bed, arms crossed over her dark red t-shirt. Her lab coat was fairly clean, suggesting there had been no major disasters in the last hour or so. She was watching the rooms only other occupant, an airman a few beds away who was unconscious but breathing steadily, and looked up when she heard someone enter. A quick smile flickered over face as she took in the biologist and her caffeinated offering.

"Pleased to see me?" the biologist asked with a cocky smile, handing over a cup.

"Nope. Got another rash?" Carolyn countered

"You wish" Tegan said easily "and I believe, oh indifferent one, that you smiled"

"That smile was directed purely at the coffee"

"I'm wounded"

"No you're not"

"Nah" Tegan grinned and leaned next to the doctor who rolled her eyes and took a sip of coffee. "Have fun today?"

Carolyn groaned softly and shook her head despairingly "I can't believe I have to do that four times a year."

Tegan patted her arm in mock sympathy, then they stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the peace.

Releasing a small sigh Carolyn looked at the woman beside her. Hair up in a rumpled tail, eyes closed and face softened by the steam from her drink she looked exhausted, but relaxed. Gaze moving to the hands curled around the cup she froze, then plonked her own mug on the bedside table next to her.

She snapped into professional mode and reached out for the hand nearest to her. "Have you bruised your hands?" she asked sharply.

Tegan opened her eyes quickly, "No, I don't think so" she let Carolyn take one in her own hands and turn it over. Suppressing a smile at the contact she chuckled "no, don't worry, that's graphite. I was shading in the underside of a particularly large leaf, from a plant that actually bears some resemblance to the digitialis family, you might like it..." she trailed off at the expression on the smaller womans face.

"You are clearly tired and yet have been here drawing plants?" she asked sharply.

"Um... yes?"

"Why?"

"No reason"

"There has to be a reason"

"No good reason"

Carolyn let out a huff of frustration, glaring at Tegan who had a smile spreading across her face.

"What now?"

"You care" Tegan was full on grinning now.

"As if. I just don't want another patient."

"Riiight. That's the reaction everyone with dirty hands gets around here."

"Shut up" Carolyn couldn't help letting a small smile through her act.

"Yes boss" Tegan drained the last of her coffee and stood up straight. Setting off for the door she turned suddenly.

"Would you like to do something? Sometime? Not surrounded by airmen and concrete I mean. Whatever you like. I don't mind." She broke off, almost visible clamping her lips over further babbling, and rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably.

Carolyn cocked her head to one side as if seriously considering the matter. She found it endearing how fast the biologist could go from confident banter to nervous sincerity. "Alright. Something far away from concrete" she said.

Tegan's smile lit up her face. "How about a walk? I have a rather large dog that needs exercising."

"Sounds very none concretey" the doctor replied, passing her now empty mug over. "Now go home and rest."

Tegan grinned and walked out, flipping her a sarcastic salute at the door, the effect marred somewhat by the coffee mug in her hand.


End file.
